


Slingshot

by Subtle_Shenanigans



Category: Steven Universe - Fandom, steven universe future - Fandom
Genre: Depressed Steven, Gen, REVERSE TIME TRAVEL AU, Some characters listed may only be mentioned, Sorta just a set up if I do later one-shots, Steeb from Prickly pair but no audio leak, Steven needs therapy, Supportive Garnet, Supportive Gems, dont have time for a full story tho, no beta we die like men, sunshine gets pulled to the future, sunshine is from post-cluster incident but pre-trial, sunshine is traumatized but not as much, they are well aware that they could have done more, when Steeb was growing up, yeah you heard that right - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:33:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22503313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subtle_Shenanigans/pseuds/Subtle_Shenanigans
Summary: They say it takes seven minutes for the sun’s light to reach the earth.This has nothing to do with that.Quite the opposite actually.
Relationships: Future!Steven & Past!Steven, Steven & the Crystal Gems
Comments: 15
Kudos: 187





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So. I got this idea a little while ago. It’s based off of the TimeTravelAU over on tumblr.
> 
> The nickname ‘Sunshine’ or borrowed from StarGazer19 who writes Templeschool!!
> 
> This is literally just a set-up and I’m writing this late at night so please excuse OOC-Ness.

Steven sighed, flopping back on his bed.

Another day of doing nothing. Sure, he’d get up and check his plants, maybe grab a protein shake from the kitchen. But. . .there wasn’t much to do besides that. They didn’t plan to de-corrupt another gem for a little while (they waited until Garnet felt her future vision clear, and didn’t see any problems with the next gem. They wanted to give them the best experience to re-integration possible.)

He supposes he could dust the roof again, but he couldn’t muster up the lightness to float up there.

“ _Ughhhhhh_. . .” He rubs his hands down his face, “why have I been like this lately?”

There was a loud _thump_ downstairs and Steven flailed, rolling off of his mattress.

“Man, I’m glad it’s flat on the floor,” he groaned.

After a moment, he got himself up and made his way downstairs. He didn’t bother to straighten his clothes which he had been wearing since yesterday.

“Amethyst, I thought you’d still be at the scho-“ he stopped on the stairs, blinking, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and blinking again. “You’re. . .not Amethyst.”

It was, well, himself. From at least two years ago. Before puberty. This past version of himself cries out, bewildered, “who are you? Why are you in my house?!”

“Uh,” he looked around. “It’s actually my house. I mean it’s yours, but. . .not yet? I think you’re sorta in the future?”

“Whoa, really?” Little Steven seemed to get starry-eyed - almost literally. “But. . .then who are you?”

Steven bit his lip. That would make sense, he guessed. He’s sure if he met himself from a few years in the future after more growth, he wouldn’t recognize them as himself either. “I’m Steven Universe. I’m you.”

“You’re. . .me?” And man, if that disbelieving pudgy little face weren’t so adorable. “I’m gonna be so tall!!!”

Steven can’t help but chuckle at that. “Uh, yeah-“

Past-him claps his hands on his cheeks. “Ohmygosh, your-my- our voice is gonna be so deep!”

“Uh-huh. Er, I think I’m gonna-“

“What year is it? How old are you? Wha-“

“Hey hey hey, calm down,” Steven puts his hands on little-him’s shoulders like his own dad had done countless times, “look, I don’t want to mess up your future too much, okay? So we’re gonna call Garnet, and figure this out, okay?”

Little-him’s eyes grow starry again and he nods, awestruck.

Aw man.

What the hell had he gotten himself into?

* * *

In the end, it was Pearl who came first, as Garnet was helping Amethyst finish up. From what they could gather, this Past-Steven seemed to be from an alternate past, where everything was mostly the same with slight differences. So his abrupt advance in time wouldn’t affect this-universe’s Steven, only Past’s future self.

Steven groaned and massaged his temples. Yeah, that took some wrapping his brain around. Past-him didn’t seem to perturbed at least.

“So, you’re from shortly after the cluster incident.”

“Mm-hmm!”   
  
“Okay. Okay, we can work with this,” Steven started pacing, still rubbing away at the lingering headache, “Pearl, help Amethyst search through her room - I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a time artifact in there somewhere. Garnet and I can spitball about what we should do in the meantime. Steven, er, Past-Steven? Ugh, gonna have to come up with a nickname.”

“I get a nickname?!” Past-kid seemed to positively light up at that. His utter chipperness made Steven wish for a pair of sunglasses, almost. Although it was absolutely endearing as well.

(He missed the days he could be so happy-go-Lucky. Before the Palanquin, and Homeworld, and the Diamonds.)

He stopped pacing.   
  
Wait.

Now _there’s_ a thought.

He snapped.

“Sunshine!”

Pearl, who was texting the others, looked up and gave him a look.

He ruffled his past-self’s hair. “We’ll call you Sunshine!” Sunshine giggled and batted him away.

Seemed the name was to stick.

* * *

It was hours later, after Steven had joined Amethyst and Sunshine in their game of rough-housing.

He would have spoken with Garnet first, but she had given him that coy grin and nudge, after he had watched the other two longingly. Pearl nodded, a soft smile on her face.

The few hours before their arrival, Steven and Sunshine has just, _talked_. Steven answering what he could about the differences in their timeline, while not giving away anything too revealing about the potential future. And Sunshine at first kept sunny and brisk. But he eventually did let slip that he was scared, at least a little bit, and he missed Dad and his own Crystal Gems.

Steven hugged him and told him it was okay to be scared, or sad. His feelings were valid, and he shouldn’t feel like they weren’t.

After that, and some quiet resting after all the excitement, Amethyst burst in wanting to see the “chubby-cheeked kiddo”. Sunshine had squealed when fawned over him, tickling him and turning it into a game. It was bittersweet, to Steven; it was all he wanted as a kid. The Gems to acknowledge him, play with him.

He vowed to help Sunshine have a good time while he was here, and to make him feel loved.

Maybe he should text Dad that he had a brother now.

“It’ll turn out okay.”

Steven looked away from where Sunshine slept on the couch, turning to Garnet. They were at the table, papers strewn about in a mix of Gemglyph and English.   
  
He sighed. “I know. It’s just-“

Garnet reached over and gently grasped his shoulder. She takes of her visor. “Steven.” Her voice is quiet; remorseful.

“I’m sorry. We should have- we should have been there, for you. More than we were.”

He startles, stumbling and grasping for words, “You guys wer-“

She squeezes his shoulder and he clamps his mouth shut.

Garnet gives a shuddering sigh, wiping at her eyes. “It’s okay, Steven. I know it wasn’t all us. I know you don’t want to talk about it. But for what it’s worth,” another squeeze, “we could have been better.”

She let’s go and leans back, turning her gaze to the kid snoring on the couch. Her gaze softens. “He’ll go home, one day. That _I_ know. But for now, let’s be there for him - _all_ of us. Okay?”

Steven swallows, and nods. His eyes burn, but he doesn’t cry.

Garnet ruffles his hair. “Okay Cutie Pie, off to bed. Tommarrow is gonna be a long day.”

And she leaves, and he rubs his eyes because he did _not_ just cry over some kid nickname he hasn’t heard since he was twelve.

With a sigh, he gets up and turns out the light. Heading up the stairs, he glances once more to Sunshine, who rolls over with a mumble, smacking his lips.

_I promise, you’ll know you’re loved. Even if I have to teach you to love yourself._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp I promised a second chapter so here we are!!!
> 
> Thought we could all use a little lightness! Steven is still dealing with canon issues, of course. But he’s focused on Sunshine so his mind isn’t as focused on bad memories as much. This doesn’t mean he’s “all better” or anything like that, rather, it’s a constructive distraction.
> 
> I’ll talk a tiny bit about spoilers to SUF in the final end note, just a heads up.
> 
> EDIT: Look I’ve had a fever for over two weeks, I’m a tired wreck, and I want to post this. It’s really weird character-wise I apologize.

Dad, was, of course, astounded.

Confounded?

Either way, Greg scratched his head, trying to wrap around the whole process. “Well Schtu-ball, that’s definitely a, Uh, past-you.”

Sunshine seemed hesitant and Steven gave him a light shove with one hand. “Uh-huh! He’s going by Sunshine to avoid confusion.”

Without a second thought, as Sunshine was pushed forward, Greg dropped down and wrapped him in a hug. “Aw, that’s cute. Don’t worry Sunshine, we’ll help you.”

“. . .Thanks future-dad.”

Greg ruffled his hair, smiling.

“Aw, you can just call me dad, kiddo.”

* * *

Steven was glad; dad treating Sunshine like normal seemed to help the kiddo out. He’d been anxious; feeling displaced, Steven could imagine.

( _Gee, I wonder why?_ )

He pushed the thought away. He didn’t - this was about him, well, it was, but not _him_ him.

He would make sure Sunshine felt loved, cared for, and safe until he got home.

(And if the chance presented, he _might_ have a few choice words with past-alt CGs.)

“Hey, uh, Steven?”

He turned away from the tv - they had been watching some old reruns of Crying Breakfast Friends - and pulled away from his thoughts. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Is it, do you think. . .” Sunshine fidgeted, looking away, “never mind.”

“Hey, Sunshine,” he looked up when Steven put a hand on his shoulder, “it’s okay. You can ask me _anything_ , I promise.” He made sure to meet his eyes, trying to convey warmth and sincerity. “Look, even if it’s about the future. If it’s something I think I shouldn’t tell you, then I’ll say that, okay? You can still try to ask. It doesn’t hurt anything.” 

“. . .really?”

Steven nodded. “Really.”

“Can we. . .am I allowed to see my friends? Connie and Lars and Sadie? Onion? The cool kids? Do you think that’d be okay?”

Steven ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly as he thought. Would it be? He didn’t see why not. The only one he probly wouldn’t want Sunshine to see was Lars, due to the whole undead situation, and he was in space anyways.

“Lars. . . isn’t in town, and neither is Sadie. But, I don’t see why not? The cool kids are usually busy but if we catch them we can say hi,” he glanced over, and tried not to melt at Sunshine’s starry-eyed excitement, “Connie is usually studying, but I know she’ll come over if I call.” _I’d rather not but. . .it’s kinda an emergency_?

“Ohmygosh I just realized Connie is gonna be so tall!!!” Sunshine squished his cheeks, seeming even more excited than before. “And what about the cool kids?? Are they adults now?? Did buck ever grow a beard? And what about Onion, is he-?”

Steven put a hand over the excited kids mouth, laughing. “Okay, okay! One thing at a time! You’ll see them all soon enough. Um, sure Connie’s taller now, no beards, yep adults, Onion is about the same.”

Sunshine’s eyes widened; Steven could see the questions building up, only to be held back by Steven’s hand. But then, in a fit of mischievousness, he licked his hand. Steven grimaced. Gross.

When Steven let go, Sunshine blew a raspberry. “Ewww, your hand’s gross!”

Steven wiped it on his jeans. “No, _you’re_ gross.”

Sunshine pouted. “No I’m not. _I_ wash my hands.”

Steven sputtered, not sure whether to laugh or not. “Of course I wash my hands!”

He felt amused as Sunshine grappled for a comeback - was this what a younger sibling was like? Pouty and derailing conversations to cause mischief?

Before he could say anything, Steven ruffles his hair. “Okay, okay you little sunray; if you want me to call Connie over you gotta behave.”

And there was that blinding bright smile.

* * *

When Steven texted Connie it was a vague, _Hey, time situation, can you come over?_

She had sent a flurry of question marks and, _yeah, hold on a sec_ , and then Lion came charging through a portal not even six minutes later.

Connie hopped off, all coordinated muscles and steel, huffing, “Okay Universe, what did you mean by. . .”

She blinked, rubbed her eyes, blinked again.   
  
Before Steven could say a word, Sunshine hopped off of the couch, and ran to give her a hug around the waist. “Hi Connie!!! Ohmygosh you’re so much older!!! And tall!!! Connie is gonna flip when I tell her!!!”

She gaped for a minute, then looked up at her friend. “Uhhh, Steven. . .?”

He couldn’t help it; he laughed.

Eventually, she snorted. Then was giggling as well, because the whole situation was ridiculous, and, oh my gosh, _what were their lives_?

When he was done, Steven wiped his sleeve across his eyes. “Uh yeah, this is Sunshine,” he was a little breathless after laughing, but what are you gonna do? ( _It felt so nice-_ ) “He’s an alternate past version of me, who got stuck here. We’re taking care of him until we can get him home.” 

Connie squished Sunshine’s cheeks, and he giggled in response. “Awwww. I forgot how adorable you were!”

Steven ignored the heat building on his face. “Uh, yeah, I know right?”

“C’nnie! l’t me go,” Sunshine whined.

“Sorry! Couldn’t resist.”   
  
“So,” _uh-oh, Pearl-mode activated_ , “what’s the plan? Besides, uh, keeping an eye out for him and getting him home? You have an alias? A story? Ways to avoid him finding out too much?”

“Er, well-“

Sunshine butted in. “We can tell some people, right? And, uh,” he scratched the back of his neck, “say I’m family from out of town?”

Steven shrugged. “That could work. Most people will probably figure it out anyways, but people like Mister Dewey and Mister Fryman will buy it.”

Especially those two, and Mister Pizza. He’d have to take Sunshine out to eat, maybe shopping, so he wouldn’t get too cooped up. Luckily, those three were less observant.

Mayor Nanafua and people Steven’s own age would be able to tell in a heartbeat, he was sure; Sunshine was a younger him, after all.   
  


The biggest issue would be Little Homeschool. How to keep Sunshine away from there, or other gems, or asking about it?

He realized he’d zoned out, because Connie was now sitting on her legs, nodding as Sunshine talked about his slightly-different adventures, or maybe Crying Breakfast Friends? She was giving him full attention, even asking questions.

Man, he had to work on that.

But, there were more important things to worry about now.

“Hey, uh, Steven! Who’s your favourite CBF? Mine’s Melancholy Melon!”

“Oh, er, mine was a different one. It was. . .”

Connie smiles, laughing as the two compared interests. They’re were the same, for the most part. And it brought back good memories for Steven.

This would be fine, he realized.

As strange as the whole situation was, it wasn’t a disaster.

And that was. . .well, more than okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I’m so, so glad we got confirmed C-PTSD and that Steven is getting help in the show. I won’t be getting into all the events, but at the possibility of later installments, it will be concept-canon compliant, even if events get shifted around.
> 
> Part of the reason Sunshine is from an alternate past is so that I don’t have to shift or play around too much with this Steven’s timeline. And, if I forget events or mess them up I have an excuse XD.

**Author's Note:**

> I like to think that the Gems know they could have been there for Steven more, growing up. Obviously they love him, but the kid has gone through a ton of trauma, plus some issues with the Gems (whether due to their limited knowledge of humans or issues with losing Rose.)


End file.
